Electron tube connector



A. R. DE LYON ELECTRON TUBE CONNECTOR May 26, 1970 Original Filed June 15', 1966 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 y 6, 1970 A. R. DE LYON 3,514,745

ELECTRON TUBE CONNECTOR Original Filed June 15, 1966 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 United States Patent 3,514,745 ELECTRON TUBE CONNECTOR Armand Ren de Lyon, Harrisburg, Pa., assignor t0 AMP Incorporated, Harrisburg, Pa. Continuation of application Ser. No. 557,796, June 15, 1966. This application June 11, 1968, Ser. No. 740,782 Int. Cl. H01r 13/42, 33/76 US. Cl. 339-193 7 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE An electron tube connector comprises a one-piece dielectric housing having a series of cavities surrounding an aperture and provided with channels, the channels extend outwardly from each of the series of cavities at an angle with respect to a plane extending through an axis of each of the series of cavities and a longitudinal axis of the housing so that conductors connected to terminals disposed in the cavities can be directed toward one end of the housing to bunch the conductors thereat.

This application is a continuation of application Ser. No. 557,796, filed June 15, 19-66 and now abandoned.

This invention relates to an electrical connector and more particularly to an electrical connector for use on electron tubes.

The electrical connectors presently in use, especially for cathode ray tubes, have the terminal members therein bent at right angles with respect to the insertion axis of the electrical connectors. Such an arrangement increases the size of the electrical connectors. The electrical conductors connected to the terminal members extend outwardly from the electrical connector in a radial direction in some applications and in other applications 7 the portions of the electrical terminals and the electrical conductors connected thereto extend outwardly from the electrical connector parallel to the insertion axis of the electrical connector.

An object of the invention is to provide an electron tube electrical connector which saves space and permits the electrical conductors connected to the electrial terminals to be readily bunched.

Another object of the invention is to provide an electron tube electrical connector having sections of the electrical terminals connected to electrical conductors and the electrical conductors extending outwardly from the insertion axis in the same plane as that of the terminal housing.

Still another object of the invention is the provision of an electron'tube electrical connector having a unitary terminal housing.

A further object of the invention is to provide an electron tube electrical connector having electrical terminals that are readily insertable into and removable from a terminal housing.

An additional object of the invention is the provision of an electron tube electrical connector wherein the electrical conductors connected to the electrical terminals are directed outwardly from the terminal housing at an angle with respect to the insertion axis so that the electrical conductors can be readily bunched.

A still further object of the invention is to provide an electron tube electrical connector wherein the electrical terminals are completely insulated by the terminal hous mg.

Still an additional object of the invention is the provision of an electron tube electrical connector wherein the sections of the electrical terminals. connected to the electrical conductors are supported by the terminal housmg.

3,514,745 Patented May 26, 1970 Ice A further addiitonal object of the invention is to pro vide an electron tube electrical connector with the locking lances of the electrical terminals thereof facilitating engagement of these electrical terminals with electrical contacts with which they are to electrically engage.

Other objects and attainments of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon a reading of the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the drawings in which there are shown and described illustrative embodiments of the invention; it is to be understood, however, that these embodiments are not intended to be exhaustive nor limiting of the invention but are given for purposes of illustration and principles thereof and the manner of applying them in practical use so that they may modify them in various forms, each as may be best suited to the conditions of a particular use.

The foregoing and other objects are achieved by a preferred embodiment of an electron tube electrical connector comprising a terminal housing having a series of cavities surrounding an aperture, spaced projections on the terminal housing extending outwardly from each of the series of cavities an an angle with respect to a plane extending through an axis of each of the series of cavities and a longitudinal axis of the terminal housing, terminal members disposed in each of the series of cavities to receive pins of an electron tube, means on the terminal members and the series of cavities securing the terminal members in the series of cavities, and conductor means electrically connected to sections of the terminal members disposed between respective spaced projections, the sections of the terminal members and the conductor means connected thereto extend outwardly from the spaced projections at the same angles that the spaced projections are disposed with respect to the planes extending through the axes of the cavities and the longitudinal axis of the terminal housing.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a base of an electron tube, a terminal housing and terminal members;

FIG. 2 is a view taken along lines 22 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2 with the terminal member in position within a cavity of the terminal hous- FIG. 4 is a view taken along lines 44 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a view taken along lines 55 of FIG. 4; and

FIG. 6 is a plan view of an alternative embodiment of the electron tube connector.

Turning now to the drawings, and especially FIGS. 1 through 5, there is illustrated an electron tube connector ETC comprising a terminal housing 1 and electrical terminals 2. Terminal housing 1 is made from a suitable dielectric material such as, for example, nylon, polyvinylchloride, polyethylene, polypropylene or the like and the terminal housing is formed as a one-piece housing in accordance with conventional molding techniques. The terminal housing comprises a planar section 3 and a central section 4 integral with and extending outwardly from planar section 3. An opening 5 extends through central 'section 4 and has a polarizing recess 6- disposed therein.

A series of triangular-shaped cavities 7 are disposed in central section 4 around opening 5. A beveled and circular depression 8 is located at the entrance of each cavity 7 to facilitate the insertion of pins P of an electron tube ET within cavities 7.

Spaced projections 9 extend outwardly from planar section 3 and central section 4 at each of cavities 7. The spaced projections for each cavity extend outwardly from the respective cavities at an angle with respect to a plane extending through an axis of each of the cavities and a longitudinal axis of the terminal housing. In the embodiment of FIG. 1, the spaced projections of one cavity extend toward the spaced projections of an adjacent cavity around the terminal housing.

Openings are located in central section 4 between the cavities 7 and spaced projections 9. Each opening 10 communicates with triangular-shaped cavities 7 at the junction between two sides thereof. As can be discerned, spaced projections 9 associated with each of cavities 7 define a channel. Apertures 11 extend through planar section 3 in communication with each of cavities 7 and in alignment with latching surfaces 12 located in each of cavities 7.

Electrical terminals 2 comprise a contact section 13 and a ferrule section 14. The electrical terminals are susceptible to mass production by automatic machinery and are conveniently formed by shaping a sheet metal blank or strip of a suitable electrically conductive metal such as brass, bronze or the like in successive forming steps. The metal is sufficiently hard and resilient to impart to contact section 13 a spring-like character, yet it is sufliciently malleable to permit cold-forging or crimping of ferrule section 14 onto a conductor 15 to provide an excellent mechanical and electrical connection. Contact section 13 is connected to ferrule section 14 via transition section 16 so that the insertion axis of contact section 13 is disposed at right angles with respect to the axis of ferrule section 14 and this type of electrical terminal is commonly called a flag terminal. As can be discerned, contact section 13 has a triangular configuration and a locking lance 17 is struck out from one side of contact section 13 and preferably the free side thereof.

Since the ferrule section of the electrical terminal is located at a right angle with respect to the contact section, the electrical terminal has a height no higher than the height of the contact section.

In assembly, electrical terminals 2 are inserted within terminal housing 1 with contact sections 13 disposed in respective cavities 7, transition sections 16 disposed in openings 10 and ferrule sections 14 along with conductors 15 connected thereto are disposed between spaced projections 9 associated with each of cavities 7 as illustrated in FIG. 3. Locking lances 17 engage latching surfaces 12 in cavities 7 to secure the electrical terminals within the terminal housing. Since locking lances 17 are located at the entrances of contact sections 13, such an arrangement facilitates the insertion of pins P within contact sections 13.

In order to remove electrical terminals 2 from terminal housing 1, a tool 18 is inserted within cavities 7 via apertures 11 in order to move locking lances 17 free of latching surfaces 12 so that the electrical terminals can be removed from the terminal housing. Polarizing recess 6 mates with a polarizing projection (not shown) located on electron tube ET in order to assure the proper mating of pins P with respective electrical terminals 2. The inner ends of the electrical terminals rest on planar section 3 which limits the movement of pins P within contact sections 13. If the conductors are moved out of the channels, transition sections 16 are strong enough to prevent any deformation of the electrical terminals.

Terminal housing 1 is a one-piece member and its height or depth is such to permit engagement with an electron tube in a space-saving manner. The angular dispositions of the channels formed by spaced projections 9 direct conductors 15 toward a common conductor-bunching location at the periphery of terminal housing 1. The channels formed by spaced projections 9 also provide support for ferrule sections 14 of electrical terminals 2. Terminal housing 1 also completely insulates the electrical terminals.

The embodiment of FIG. 6 illustrates an electron tube connector ETC wherein the channels formed by spaced projections 9' on each side of a plane extending through polarizing recess 6' and a longitudinal axis of terminal housing 1 are directed toward a common conductor-bunching location located at the periphery of terminal housing 1' opposite polarizing recess 6. Of course, the angular dispositions of channels formed by the spaced projections can be such to direct the conductors to a conductor-bunching location at any desirable location about the periphery of the terminal housing.

As can be discerned from the foregoing, there has been disclosed a unique and novel electron tube connector which has a minimum height or depth, electrical terminals removably mounted in the terminal housing and angularly disposed channels in which the ferrule sections are completely insulated and which direct the conductors connected to the ferrule sections in a direction to a common conductor-bunching location along the periphery of the terminal housing.

It will, therefore, be appreciated that the aforementioned and other desirable objects have been achieved; however, it should be emphasized that the particular embodiments of the invention, which are shown and described herein, are intended as merely illustrative and not as restrictive of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. An electron tube electrical connector comprising a one-piece dielectric housing having a series of cavities surrounding an aperture, spaced projections on the housing extending outwardly from each of the series of cavities at an angle with respect to a plane extending through an axis of each of the series of cavities and a longitudinal axis of the housing, terminal members disposed in each of the series of cavities to receive pins of an electron tube, means on the terminal members and the series of cavities securing the terminal members in the series of cavities, a tool opening adjacent each of said cavities, the securing means on the terminal members being accessible via the tool openings to permit removal of the terminal members from the cavities, and conductor means electrically connected to sections of the terminal members and disposed between respective spaced projections, the sections of the terminal members extending along between respective spaced projections and the conductor means connected thereto extend outwardly from the spaced projections at the same angles that the spaced projections are disposed with respect to the planes extending through the axes of the cavities and the longitudinal axis of the housing.

2. An electron tube electrical connector according to claim 1 wherein said terminal members have insertion ends and the securing means on said terminal members are located at the insertion ends of the terminal members, these securing means being bent away from the insertion axes of the terminal members to facilitate insertion of the pins within the terminal members.

3. An electron tube connector according to claim 1 wherein polarizing means are provided on said housing and said electron tube to insure proper engagement of said pins with respective terminal members.

4. An electron tube connector according to claim 3 wherein said spaced projections of each of said terminal members on each side of a plane extending through said polarizing means on said housing and said longitudinal axis of said housing extend in a direction to direct the conductor means toward one end of said housing.

5. An electron tube connector according to claim 1 wherein said spaced projections of each of said terminal members extend in a direction to direct the conductor means toward a common location at a periphery of said housing to bunch the conductor means thereat.

6. An electron tube connector comprising a one-piece dielectric housing having a series of cavities surrounding an aperture and provided with channels, said channels extending outwardly from each of the series of cavities at an angle with respect to a plane extending through an axis of each of the series of cavities and a longitudinal axis of the housing, terminal members disposed in each of the series of cavities and a longitudinal axis of the housing, terminal members disposed in each of the series of cavities to receive pins of an electron tube, means on the terminal members and in the series of cavities securing the terminal members in the series of cavities, a tool opening adjacent each of said cavities, the securing means on the terminal members being accessible via the tool openings to permit removal of the terminal members from the cavities, and conductor means electrically connected to sections of the terminal members and disposed in respective ones of said channels, the sections of the terminal members extending along respective ones of the channels and the conductor means connected thereto extend outwardly from the channels at the same angles that the channels are disposed with respect to the planes extending through the axes of the cavities and the longitudinal axis of the housing.

7. An electron tube electrical connector comprising an annular planar base, pairs of spaced projections extending from said base and at an angle to a radius thereof, a cavity between each pair of projections having a bottom coplanar with the base, terminal members disposed in at References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,332,483 10/1943 Doty.

2,472,131 6/1949 Toth et a1 339-193 2,556,956 6/1951 Denton et al 339193 2,701,869 2/1955 Hobson 339193 3,227,910 1/1966 Pittman 339l93 X DAVID J. WILLIAMOWSKY, Primary Examiner P. C. KANNAN, Assistant Examiner U.S. Cl. X.R. 3392l7 mg UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No- 3,5 4,7 6 Dated M y 26) 1970 Inventr(3) d6 It is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

Claim 6, column 5, lines 2, 3, and L beginning with "and" and ending with "cavities" should be delated as it constitutes a double recitation of subject matter bridging column L line 75 to column 5,

line 2 beginning with "and" and ending with "cavities".

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